Fiddling While Rome Burns
by PaolaAdara
Summary: There's more to the Host Club than meets the eye. On hiatus.
1. Theme 1: Illogicality

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (1 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns)**_**. Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a fic.**

Theme # 1: Illogicality

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Humour

Entry summary: Haruhi doesn't do illogical, but Tamaki practically breathes and lives it.

Entry title:

_**To Nail One's Colours To The Mast**_

When he presented the idea to her, her mind went completely blank because it was just so preposterous that her intellect simply refused to wrap itself around it. The very thought went against everything she stood for, not because she particularly found it distasteful, but because it was absurd. Absurd and completely nuts. And if anything, she wasn't predisposed to absurd ideas, just prone to being caught in the middle of absurd situations, but that was probably because of her chosen company…or the company she was forced to be in since her first day at that damnable academy.

_Let's get married_, he said, as if it were the most natural thing to pop out of his mouth. Of course, the first thing she asked him was if he had lost his marbles, to which he promptly replied that only commoners referred to one's sound mind as "marbles." The second thing she asked was _what brought this up?_ And being the drama…queen that he was, cherry blossoms bloomed and petals whirled around them, together with his answer that it was only logical for a man and a woman to get married if they loved each other. _Logical, _he said.

Suffice it to say, that stumped her good.

First off, they had never dated…well, because this was actually the first time he admitted his feelings for her…_seriously_.

Second off, she had just entered college…and he wasn't too far ahead in that area either.

Third off, she hadn't exactly named what it was she felt for him.

Fourth off, his grandmother ala second Hitler would probably raise fire and brimstone against them and disown him.

Fifth off, it was too _dammitwhatthehell unreasonable, it stung! Damn rich bastards._

And sixth off, her heart was pounding so loud and so fast that it alarmed her to no end. Her indifference wasn't merely a façade, but a practice so ingrained in her that there were very few things that made her heart hammer in her chest — thunder and lightning being two of them — so it stood to reason that she reacted as such — eyes wide and mouth gaping.

_No_ was at the tip of her tongue, but the dull ache in her chest kept her from verbalizing the thought. Again, she was confused. It should be as easy as _one, two, three _to say no to him — she'd done it a hundred — _er_ — a thousand times before — but when he looked at her like that, she forgot how cliché their situation was, and…_ohkamisama, how the hell can I say no? _She should know by now that when it came to him, things were as easy as _one, three, nine thousand, seven, fifteen hundred…_he was as predictable as miracles in daily life.

For some unknown reason, she, for the first time in her life, acted _way way way out of bleeping character _and said _yes_. Ooh boy, did she say yes. When she did give her approval, the rational part of her told her that she might regret it, and when he hugged her — _squished _her, was more like it — she nearly regretted giving him the affirmative…_air! Air! I can't breathe!_

She shook her head, bluntly telling him after he let go that this arrangement just wouldn't work and that she must be out of her mind to agree. He was silent for the whole of a second, then he mused aloud that _yes_, it might not work because _I don't have a ring right now, but do commoners give engagement rings right away or do they save first? _Again, his reasoning was as painfully illogical as wearing sunglasses at night. They had graduated, but some things would never change.

Just as she was about to bop him on the head for his stupid thought, he brightened up like the bipolar Host Club King that he was and assured them both that it would work out because everything _always works out in the end…believe it!_

After that, things went by in a blur of colours because annoying time skips did not happen in real life, but fast-forwarding was acceptable in telling her life story.

Looking back, there had been many hardships in their path. Hitler — _er_ — the Suoh matriarch declared World War III, _rich-bastards style_, when she learnt of their engagement. That ditzy okama — _er_ — she meant, her _loving_ and _doting_ father —_ and not some ditzy okama!_ — almost asked for blood from her fiancé when they broke the news. It was very taxing to get him to stop calling her _my precious daughter _and making him understand that it would be very weird if he continued to do so. Of course, the whole Host Club was very supportive, if not very meddlesome, but then, they had always been like that, so it was a losing battle to change their ways, and she was smart enough to not try.

As she gazed across the living room at the boy who she had come to love, she couldn't help but voice out, _it was really ridiculous, stupid even…how did it work out?_

He smiled that megawatt smile that never faltered to brighten up the dimmest of rooms and melt the most hardened of hearts. The one that sealed his friendship with Kyoya-sempai. The one that evoked such loyalty from Hikaru and Kaoru. The one that made Hunni-sempai understand that he could have both cake and family honour…and the one that put a solid foundation for the claim _we all love Tama-chan_. The one that…well, _uhm_, whatever it did to Mori-sempai, then _aa, that one_. The one that broke her heart when he directed it at his grandmother who promptly addressed him as _filthy child_. The one that made her heart beat twice as fast when he directed it so innocently at Eclair. The one that promised more absurdity in their future. The one that would remain constant in their lives for as long as he was who he was and she was who she was supposed to be.

The one that promised to love her forever because that was the only way the owner knew how to love.

"If it's stupid but works, then it's not stupid."

She rolled her eyes. She could swear he had read that from some _commoner_ comics, but somehow, it made sense. Only he could make sense of something so unreasonable.

"But aren't you glad things worked out so well?"

Perhaps she would never find out how he got the grand scheme of things to work in his favour. From the first day they met, he had displayed every characteristic of a spoiled child, demanding things that the commoner mind couldn't possibly fathom, but in spite of everything, she fell for him. In spite of their different points of view, she came to harbour strong feelings for him.

He walked towards her and dropped a kiss on her brow. "Wanna go eat some commoner noodles?"

This time, she whacked him on the head, but the smile that blossomed on her lips was real. "All right."

Fujioka Haruhi was a sensible woman. She didn't do illogical, but Suoh Tamaki practically breathed and lived it. Whenever she got time to herself to sit down and enjoy the quiet — which happened every time Tamaki wasn't with her…meaning, it didn't always happen…_sigh_ — she reflected that a little illogicality in her life wasn't as bad as she first thought it would be…

"Hey, Haruhi, do you want to go to the beach tomorrow?"

It was the middle of winter.

…Sometimes, Haruhi talked too soon.

_-fin-_

To Nail One's Colours To The Mast – to display one's opinions and beliefs

Citation/s:

"Believe it!" – Naruto, English dub


	2. Theme 2: Much Ado About Nothing

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (2 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns)**_**. Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a fic.**

Theme # 2: Much ado about nothing

_Request-ee_: Zanisha

Rating: T

Genre: Humour

Entry summary: In which Tamaki overly distresses over something (or, maybe, some _things_) so small _just because_, then he gets easily sidetracked _just because_, too, and then he figures things out…maybe…

Warning: Crack

Entry title:

_**A Horse! A Horse! My Kingdom for a Horse!**_

Tamaki likes flowery words that, if he puts greater effort into phrasing them, might shame even the great Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon. He likes words that aren't used in regular conversations that, if he puts greater effort in producing more, he'd be damning every lexis known to man. But he stops with _How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child _because, somehow, he considers _The lady doth protest too much, methinks _just a little too out of his current age.

Despite his affinity for verbose exclamations, he has, however, a limit, even when the rest of the Host Club thinks otherwise. But then, some situations repudiate his claim, and he's almost always too far gone to care about what comes out of his mouth because these situations would always include those two _gorbellied motely-minded miscreants_ who dare corrupt his precious spring blossom of a daughter with ideas of artless dating! _How dare those unworthy doppelgangers!_

Even if others think it's too weird that it's not even funny — though it actually is — Tamaki has imbued in himself the need to express things the elaborate way that he does, partly because of his French heritage — which doesn't really explain anything, but hey, Tamaki is as Tamaki does — and his deep-rooted belief that he is King — and not the _Baka no Dono_ the twins have dubbed him as. Given his flair for the dramatics, his outlandish capriciousness, his sparkling teeth and effervescent eyes, he may as well be King of all that is unthinkable, which, now that it is mentioned, is probably what the Host Club is.

But the storyline digresses. As said above, the King of all that is confusing is currently blowing his top off because Haruhi is sandwiched between the two devil incarnates, and they are whispering so closely to his precious daughter that it should be illegal to be that physically touching!

_Stop in the name of all that is holy and costs more than a paper-bagful of cheap instant coffee! _is what a normal crazy person would say, but Tamaki isn't the normal crazy type, and, as such, isn't wont to spout such undignified drivel. Instead, he says something of another level, but generally means the same thing, at least, when one digs deep into it. But then, none of the Host Club members ever digs that deep into what he more than occasionally puts forth.

"So, what do you say, Haurhi, up for another date?"is what one of the twins asks, the wording definitely not Tamaki-speak. It's probably Kaoru, as the other was looking sheepish, most likely remembering the disaster of a date a long time ago, before recovering and adding more to what the younger twin is proposing.

"Just the three of us. No annoying"—_ hint, hint, whisper, name, whisper _—"to interrupt," Hikaru whispers, loud enough for Tamaki to hear, but still low enough to sound suggestive, "Promise it won't be like last time."

Tamaki can't take it anymore. "STOP! HALT! DESIST! You unabashed lewdsters, you! Do not drag Haruhi into your scheming, devilish plans! Homo side characters that you are should not step between the heroine and the protagonist!"

"Eh?"is the choral reply, but Haruhi remains indifferent to his accusations, putting a finger against her chin as if to consider the twins' invitation like Tamaki hasn't spoken at all.

"Ootoro."And poof! Just like a magic word from Harry Potter — _Haruri Poteru? _— Haruhi wilts and nods a few seconds later in agreement to the twins' proposal.

"Noooooo!"And it is prudent to say that mushrooms are suddenly abundant in that corner of the Third Music Room where Tamaki finds it convenient to brood, and pout, and draw lazy patterns on the floor with his finger as a sign of childish woe. _The lady doth protest too little,_ he thinks, oblivious to the fact that Honey-sempai is standing cutely beside him, and cutely looking on at what he's doing, Usa-chan cutely clutched tightly to his chest. _Cute_, with flowers hovering around his head.

"I don't think mushrooms make delicious cakes," he observes, "_ne_, Tama-chan?" And Mori-sempai promptly seizes Honey-sempai and carries him away.

As the three youngest hosts discuss their plans, Tamaki crawls towards Kyoya, who is busy letting his fingers fly across his super thin, high end, extravagantly expensive, extremely sleek, blindingly shiny, and very, very un-commoner-y laptop that he _didn't_ buy on sale. He tugs at Kyoya's pant leg, sitting on his haunches with an arm around his knees, looking like he is about to beg for candy…or another authentic horse carriage from France. With Tamaki, no one can really tell.

"'_Kaaasaaan!" _To which the low-blood-pressure Shadow King promptly replies, "Yes?"

Gesturing wildly, though mostly vaguely, towards the current source of his frustration, Host Club King Tamaki whines in that way that can't be mistaken for any other kid — yes, after _very _little deliberation between the people he mostly hangs out with, they have concluded that he is a kid, at least, a kid at heart — because he has it so carefully trademarked as his…with that little TM superscripted, just to be sure.

"Yes?"

Puppy dog eyes.

"What?" Twitch, twitch.

Puppy dog eyes. Pout, pout.

Sigh. "What do you want, Tamaki?"

"Tell those ill-natured, incestuous brats to stop!"

"Stop," and the twins look up and nod. Getting up from the couch they have been occupying, they slink away, but not before pulling Haruhi with them. Of course, Tamaki's eyes widen so much that Kyoya's slightly amused that they haven't popped out of their sockets yet. Then the tears come, and the sigh from Kyoya's lips is as inevitable as the barrage of uncommon words taking flight from Tamaki's mouth, complaining and justifying just how wrong Kaoru and Hikaru's idea is and why they should send the Ootori's secret police to stop Armageddon — _er_ — the date, and some other lengthy reasons and explanations that would rattle an ordinary person's mind.

"Tamaki, you like Shakespeare, yes?"

Nod.

"You have read Hamlet, yes?"

"But of course!" Here he looks slightly puzzled at the sudden turn in the conversation, but nonetheless enthused at the subject he has broad knowledge on. "The carefully twisted method in Hamlet's madness! The deceptions, the foreboding atmosphere created to bring out the poignant themes and points of view of the characters! _Tr__è__s magnifique_!"

"Yes, yes, do you remember the queen saying 'brevity is the soul of wit'?"

_Uhm…yes…_ Silence.

"The Bard knew what he was writing, and I think he meant it." Kyoya briefly pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, skilfully knowing that the ray of sunshine would glint off it just right. He's had enough practice and experimentation to know just exactly how high he should push, when, and how each ray of the sun would reflect ominously — not that he would ever admit to it, of course.

Tamaki is silent for three and a half seconds. Then… "Kyoyaaa! How debased you made me feel! Are we not the best of friends? Am I not the one who _pulled_ you _out_ of the streets and _welcomed_ you into the familial setting of the Host Club? Why, oh why, you ungrateful mother! It is no wonder that our daughter is turning out to be stubborn and disobedient! The woes of a loving, doting father!"

"No, because I didn't come from the streets, and I founded this club with you, I hope you didn't forget."

"You know what I mean! I am witty in my own way, thank you very much! The times have evolved and moved on, and what the great Shakespeare once said will not forever hold true, _Okasan_!"

Sigh. Time to steer to another topic. "I have placed the orders for the new costumes."

Tamaki, whose attention span can sometimes be mistaken for that of a five-year-old, preens. "Ah, yes, _mon ami_! _Merci_, Kyoya, _merci beaucoup_! We will make good super heroes, _oui_? It's all planned out!"

Kyoya sighs. Tamaki is really better off not knowing commoner shows, and they would all be better off not having to wear briefs over tights…with belts. _Sigh._ Time to double Haruhi's debt for introducing stupid shows to their equally stupid King.

"Okay! We, the Justice League, will vanquish all evils and woo the girls to their hearts' content tomorrow!" Then Tamaki pauses and gets that determined glint in his eyes, which happens approximately…five times in the span of a minute. "And as the leader of the Justice League, it is my duty to discipline the evil twins and rescue my precious daughter!" He starts to spew word after nonsensical word about Haruhi's innocence needing protection and _ah, frailty, thy name is woman!_

Kyoya, again, sighs. No one has ever made him sigh this much and lived to tell the tale, and here is Tamaki, breaking every record and making him work around the Ootori Code of Conduct. Unacceptable! _Ah well…_ _3…2…1…0…_

"Kyoya, as the _mère de famille_, I expect you to be alongside me and support me in my endeavour!"

This has gone on longer than it should. Time to break it to the King gently. _Really_, Tamaki's the one who recruited the twins, and yet, until now, he remains ignorant of their penchant for making a big show out of something so simple. "Tamaki."

"Yes, Kyoya?"

"The twins—"

"_Dono_, we're having a date tomorrow! We're having a date tomorrow!" the twins shout in a singsong voice as they prance about the Third Music Room, having banged the door to make a dramatic entrance.

As if on cue, Tamaki retreats to his corner and begins to grow mushrooms.

"_Ne_, Takashi, didn't Haru-chan's class get assigned library time tomorrow? Aren't they grouped in threes?" Honey-sempai cutely asks, then cutely brings a spoonful of cake to his mouth. _Cute_, with flowers hovering around his head.

Tamaki's ears perk up.

"Aa."

"And aren't Haru-chan, Hika-chan, and Kao-chan group mates?" Honey-sempai cutely brings a thoughtful finger to his chin then cutely pouts as he thinks. _Cute_, with flowers hovering around his head.

Tamaki, by then, has crawled towards their table.

"Aa."

"Then—"

"_WHAT?" _Tamaki springs up from his crouch on the floor, greatly surprising Honey-sempai and effectively sending the upperclassman to tears…which Mori-sempai is quick to wipe.

Kyouya finally heaves a relieved sigh. _Discreetly_, of course. At least now Tamaki understands that the three aren't going on a date; instead, they are assigned library time since finals are coming. He really should tell off the twins for making a mess of things. _This_ is what headaches are made of.

"It took him a long time to figure that one out! My, _Dono_, don't you listen to campus announcements?" the twins chorus, an arm around each other's shoulders, while their free hands are in the universal shrugging suspension.

"My Haruhi gets to spend quality studying time with these unruly doppelgangers? My word, that's insane! And totally, totally, totally wrong!"

Kyouya almost — just almost — falls over at Tamaki's conclusion. Only _he_ would see things this way!

The "unruly doppelgangers," seeing an opening and grabbing the opportunity, begin to chant "ah, lucky, lucky" in an earnest attempt to rile the King. Smoke billows out of the Frenchman's ears, and the cycle starts anew.

They are, once again, made to witness Suoh Tamaki's theatrics and the twins' incorrigible guile. Kyouya takes it back. Now _these _are what headaches are made of.

_-fin-_

Citation/s:

"A horse! a horse! my Kingdom for a horse!" – _King Richard III_ (Act V, Scene iv, Line 7)

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child." – _King Lear_ (Act I, Scene iv, Lines 268-9)

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." – _Hamlet _(Act III, Scene ii, Line 239)

"Frailty, thy name is woman!" – _Hamlet _(Act I, Scene ii, Line 146)

A/N:

Oh yeah, there's a new "rule." Those who have requested already can make another request. Yep, it's not a one-time thing!


	3. Theme 3: Ties

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (3 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns)**_**. Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 3: Ties

_Request-ee_: SlvrSoleAlchmst1

Rating: T

Genre: Drama/Angst

Entry summary: When separation just isn't an option

Warning: (Yaoi/Twincest) If you don't like reading a fic written to show exactly how confusing emotions can be, this entry isn't for you. You have been warned.

Entry title:

_**Cinderella's Parody**_

_**Act I, Scene i**_

"_Let's play the 'Which one is Hikaru' game!"_

Somehow, the game has gotten old. Somehow, it isn't as fun as before. Somehow, they have been told the right answer. Somehow, an explanation had been given. Somehow, just somehow, they aren't _the same as before_.

Hikaru has a deeper voice.

Kaoru has a longer stretch of patience.

Hikaru is more aggressive.

Kaoru is more ticklish.

Hikaru runs his left hand through his hair, and Kaoru uses his right.

Kaoru puts more strawberry jam, and Hikaru puts more peanut butter in their PB and J sandwich.

Hikaru went on a date with Haruhi; Kaoru _set_ them up.

He hasn't paid too much attention to these little differences before, seeing them as trivial and not worth his bother, but now, the lock has rusted, betraying the _World of Us _and letting the _world of them_ in, and he becomes more conscious that Hikaru is Hikaru — and Kaoru is Kaoru. Where once it was always _you and me_, now it is _you, me, and them_. Where once Hikaru equated to Kaoru, now it seems that Hikaru plus Kaoru doesn't equal one anymore.

Kaoru inaudibly sighs, then Hikaru drapes an arm around his shoulders. The door of the Third Music Room opens, and Kaoru shoves his thoughts aside.

"Kaoru, remember that trip to Hawaii the year before?"

The girls pay rapt attention.

"Yes, Hikaru."

They begin.

**Act I, Scene ii**

There hasn't been anything very interesting happening in the Host Club today, aside from the exasperating outburst from _Dono_ telling Kyouya-sempai that he mistook the queen for Polonius the other day — whatever that means, Hikaru doesn't really care — to which Kyouya-sempai gives a curt "Did I?" promptly sending the King to his corner to grow mushrooms.

Despite his boredom, Hikaru thinks that today will be one of those really successful Host Club sessions: where Kyouya-sempai appreciates their high profit; where Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai charm another girl as the latter comforts a suddenly put-off Honey-sempai; where _Dono_ rarely doesn't make himself appear more idiotic than he already is; where Haruhi gets her debt lessened; and where he and Kaoru pull off another act so flawlessly that their customers faint.

"The waters had been real nice. Cool to the skin despite the warm weather." He inwardly smirks as the girls lean closer in anticipation of their brotherly love, which will come into play right about now.

Kaoru smiles. "Yeah, though a tad too deeper than we thought it would be."

Hikaru waits for Kaoru to start his _uke_ act. Then waits some more as Kaoru picks up a tea cup to take a sip of the golden brown liquid.

It doesn't come.

"Didn't you almost drown, Kaoru?" he prompts, gently retrieving the tea cup and placing it back on the equally dainty saucer on the table, unmindful of the little noises the girls are making at the revelation.

As if the thought has just clicked in his head, Kaoru fakes a convincing gasp then looks at Hikaru with carefully crafted consternation and embarrassment. Then he shies away as expected, turning just so to make him appear as vulnerable as possible. "I'm sorry…Hikaru. I should have learned how to swim better…"

The girls are now almost beyond the edge of their seats.

Hikaru responds to the prompt and takes Kaoru's chin between his thumb and forefinger, making the younger twin turn towards him and making the space between them become almost non-existent. "Nonsense, Kaoru! I don't mind saving you. You're that precious…" he lets his words trail off as he kisses away the fake tears that are streaming down Kaoru's cheeks.

Their customers, as expected, faint after squealing to their hearts' content.

Dropping the act, the twins look on at the girls at their feet with bored expressions, before shrugging an identical "all in a day's work."

They walk towards Kyouya-sempai to report their success, arms around the other's shoulders, and as Kaoru replies to something Kyouya-sempai asks, Hikaru glances at Kaoru from the corner of his eye.

A dash of discomfort and a pinch of worry prickle at the back of his neck as he recalls what happened earlier.

_Did Kaoru just miss a cue?_

**Act I, Scene iii**

Kaoru watches Hikaru descend upon Haruhi as the members of the Host Club trickle out of the room after another day of duties, and sparkles, and cakes, and sighs. He's a little troubled at the initiative his twin displays, but not very surprised. Lately, Hikaru has taken to approaching Haruhi on his own, unlike before when they used to corner her _together_. But he doesn't stay watching a few seconds longer as he decides to make his way towards them, casually putting his two-cents in. He rests his hand on his hip, _right side_, because Hikaru always stays on his left, and, as is habitual, Hikaru drapes an arm on his _left_ shoulder, and everything is normal again.

When they are safely in the confines of their Rolls-Royce, when the door is shut against the rest of the world, Kaoru leans just a little bit closer to Hikaru. Hikaru just continues to whistle.

"Hey, Kaoru?"

"Hm?"

"Let's visit Haruhi's house again tomorrow! It's gonna be boring at home, ya know?"

Kaoru takes half a heartbeat slower to answer. He understands the underlying meaning of Hikaru's words. He always does.

The _World of Us_ becomes just a little bit more open.

And Kaoru becomes just a little bit more aware of the carriage turning into a pumpkin.

What's happened to _Hikaru is Kaoru_?

**Act II, Scene i**

By dinnertime, Hikaru has sensed that something's really wrong with Kaoru, and it's quite bothersome. But what's _more_ bothersome is that he can't seem to put his finger on it. And by bedtime, Hikaru's internal alarms are starting to go off. It's frustrating that he can't pinpoint what it is, why he's feeling out of sorts. There's something wrong, he's sure of it, but _what? _Kaoru replies when he talks to him. Kaoru laughs at his jokes. Kaoru helps him with homework. Everything seems to be fine, "seems" being the operative word.

He taps his brother's bare back not very long after slipping under the covers. "_Na_, Kaoru?"

Kaoru hums sleepily in acknowledgement.

Hikaru is suddenly tongue-tied, and he doesn't reply. If he can't find the right words to tell himself what's bothering his brother, then how can he ask Kaoru?

Kaoru doesn't follow up, and that's when it clicks. The sudden taciturnity. Not very obvious, but it's there, almost tactile to Hikaru who's so used to his twin's mannerisms. Kaoru hasn't spoken out of turn since club time, only talking to _him_ when addressed.

Not to mention Kaoru's slip during their act, which, until now, alarms him still.

He taps Kaoru again, this time a bit more urgently. "_Na_, Kaoru?"

Kaoru shifts but doesn't turn, answering the same way as before, like imitating how Hikaru's asking the_ same way as before._

"Kaoru," he calls again, not satisfied with the sleepy recognition.

He's met with the same humming reply.

Hikaru, whose fuse is shorter by about a mile, turns to his side and roughly shakes the other boy. "Kaoru!"

Kaoru finally turns to face him, cracking an eye open to regard Hikaru's slightly annoyed expression. "What, Hikaru?"

Hikaru looks torn between getting angry at the drowsy question or amused at Kaoru's half sleepy, half exasperated look. "_Dammit,_ you're annoying!"

Kaoru raises a perfect eyebrow. "Huh?"

Quashing a growl in his throat, Hikaru pushes Kaoru on his back, and, in one swift motion, launches himself so he's positioned atop the younger twin, his hands clamped tightly at either of Kaoru's shoulders. "What's wrong with you!" He demands more than asks, and Kaoru's eyes widen as sleep is stolen away from him, Hikaru's words ringing inside the huge room.

Hikaru's question is answered by silence.

**Act II, Scene ii**

Since when has Hikaru been perceptive? Surely, Kaoru hasn't been very obviously affected by his thoughts that he's showing Hikaru signs of being…_what?_ _Distressed?_

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru feigns ignorance, but he should know better than to deter a determined and irritated Hikaru with paltry acts.

He feels his brother's fingers digging deeper into his shoulders.

"Don't play the fool, Kaoru! I won't fall for that!" Hikaru hisses. "_Please_," his voice drips with barely concealed misanthropy, "give me more credit!"

Kaoru tries to push Hikaru off him. "There's nothing wrong, Hikaru. Stop it."

"You missed your cue, Kaoru! Don't tell me there's nothing wrong!"

"I missed a cue, big deal," is Kaoru's stubborn reply, refusing to look at the eyes that mirror his own, fearing that by doing so, Hikaru will know what he's hiding.

Hikaru narrows his eyes and doesn't say anything in return for a while. Then he speaks again, tone quieter but every bit as angry as earlier, "Funny that. _You_ think it's not a big deal. _I _do. I wonder why."

The sarcasm isn't lost on Kaoru. He clamps both hands on the wrists pinning him down in a futile attempt to ease the pressure on his shoulders; Hikaru doesn't budge.

"Everything is as it should be," he goes for vagueness. Maybe a confused Hikaru is better than an angry Hikaru.

"I don't do obscure."

Wrong tactic. Kaoru furrows his brow, keeping his gaze averted, staring at a spot just above Hikaru's shoulder.

"Kaoru."

He doesn't miss the warning in the other's hiss, but he ignores it.

"_Dammit_, Kaoru, _look_ at me when I'm talking to you!"

He doesn't heed his older brother's demand. "Nothing's wrong, Hikaru. And you're hurting me. For real." He removes his hands from Hikaru's wrists and places them again against the more aggressive twin's shoulders to try and get his livid brother off him. He's not surprised, however, that, despite the pain, he doesn't really make an effort to push Hikaru back.

For a moment, Hikaru stays still, like he hasn't heard the younger twin, then Kaoru finally meets his eyes, his lips in a thin line.

**Act II, Scene iii**

Hikaru can't understand it. Why is Kaoru acting so strange, like he's trying to hide what he really wants to say? It's frustrating to keep asking for something that isn't going to be answered. It's maddening.

When he stares back at the identical set of amber eyes, he wonders if, right now, their eyes are still the same because, surely, his own aren't as stormy. Isn't he so adept at reading his twin? Isn't he so adept at telling what the other is feeling? Then how come he has no idea what's bothering Kaoru?

And _why won't Kaoru share?_

He hates this. Hates not knowing. Hates having to think things through. Hates having to guess. If he's bothered by something, he makes it so obvious that Kaoru doesn't have to speculate because _shouldn't it be easy to understand each other?_

Then, like a sail whose wind is cut off, he deflates, slumping against Kaoru and touching his forehead against the mirror that lives and breathes. He takes one of the hands pushing against him, bringing it to rest on the pillow cushioning Kaoru's head before interlacing their fingers.

He's growing desperate. There's something Kaoru isn't telling him, and he wants — _needs _— to know what it is. He's never developed immunity against having to be in the dark alone.

"Why won't you tell me, Kaoru?"

**Act II, Scene iv**

Kaoru stiffens, suddenly very conscious of how close they are, suddenly very aware of the warm body covering his own. His reaction…his reaction isn't normal. He should already be used to such physical contact — and he knows he is — but he's reacting so differently. He's been acting differently for quite a while, and now…now that Hikaru is very persistent and he is forced to really assess the situation, he's alarmed at how he's reacting. But then he's quick to understand, because, of the two of them, he's the one who's faster in recognizing things.

Kaoru tries to relax, tries to hold Hikaru's gaze.

Kaoru falters.

"Because you won't understand."

**Act II, Scene v**

He will. Hikaru will understand because he _has _to understand. He's never felt this desperate before, and he can't even remember anymore how things started. Maybe it was just something stupid on both their parts. Maybe, but now, he can't remember. All he knows is that there's something he has to understand, just as much as he has to make Kaoru understand something, too.

He moves his head so his lips occasionally brush against Kaoru's ear when he whispers.

"Try me, Kaoru. Trust me, Kaoru. Tell me, Kaoru. Kaoru. Kaoru, don't push us apart, _Kaoru…_" he keeps repeating his twin's name, as if that alone can wake him up from this nightmare.

**Act II, Scene vi**

Kaoru's torn between keeping things to himself and telling Hikaru what's occupying his mind. He's never heard his twin sound so despairing. What's he done to Hikaru? And…is he really _pushing them apart?_

They haven't felt this heavy feeling for a long while, not since they joined the Host Club. But now it's back, it's viable, it's choking, and it _hurts_. And somewhere inside him, he thinks it's not Hikaru's fault anymore. Blaming the changes on Hikaru alone isn't fair. Kaoru should know better than to cling to the past. _Aren't I the one who encouraged Hikaru to explore…to…date Haruhi?_ He was the one, and he was fine with it, until he woke up one day and things felt like they're changing just a bit too fast.

"What's happened to us?"

"Nothing. Nothing's happened to us. It's still _us_."

Kaoru shocks himself when he lets out a mirthless chuckle. "It _used _to be _us_. Then it's _us _and _them_. Then it's _you_ and _them_." He doesn't name names because everyone who isn't _you_ and _me_, who isn't Hikaru and Kaoru, is _them_.

_But, when Hikaru…notices that he wants to take another step forward…when that happens…what will I do?_

"Kaoru…"

Kaoru suddenly backpedals because he realizes he can't drag Hikaru behind. Because, even if he gets left behind, he realizes that…when Hikaru does take a step forward without him, he can only support Hikaru…and urge him on.

Because…because he…_ Because I…_

"_Na_, Hikaru, don't worry…I'm fine. I guess…things are meant to be this way. It can't be just the two of us forever…"

_I won't let them separate us…but what if…it's you who wants to separate?_

He's so messed up. The ties…the ties that bind…he can't sever them and move on…even if he knows he has to.

**Act III, Scene i**

Hikaru hazards a guess. "It's Haruhi, isn't it, Kaoru?" Kaoru jerks like he's been burnt, and Hikaru knows he hits the target. _Bull's-eye._ It's like someone has lent him air and he can breathe again. "Stupid Kaoru." He gives a bark of amusement against Kaoru's cheek. "Didn't we say that Haruhi's our toy?"

"You're dense, Hikaru," Kaoru replies sullenly — Hikaru isn't expecting that. "She hasn't been a toy for a long time. Don't you see? The jealousy. The possessiveness. Hikaru, _you _like Haruhi."

This time around, it's Hikaru's turn to go rigid. "I don't like her! Not in that sense! I _don't_!" he vehemently refutes his brother's claim, squeezing the hand he's holding, as if to physically assert his argument. He doesn't like Haruhi. He _can't _like Haruhi.

Kaoru's _wrong…isn't he? _He's just interested in her because she's…new. She…intrigues him. _That's all!_

"The jealousy, you say. How about _you_, Kaoru? _What_ do your actions say about _you_?" he harshly asks, still reeling from the blow Kaoru landed. He uses his free arm to prop himself up so he can look at his twin in the eye.

"Nothing… Nothing because…we're brothers."

**Act III, Scene ii**

_Because we're brothers._ This is wrong. Whatever it is, it's not supposed to be. The jealousy. The possessiveness. He isn't only talking about Hikaru, is he? The idea that Hikaru will one day not be his anymore…it…it's _smothering._

Kaoru is stricken. This isn't how things are supposed to be. They're _brothers_, for crying out loud! Their act…that's all it is…an _act_, an act to relieve their boredom, and it should be _nothing more!_

The _World of Us_…Kaoru wants it to be theirs, and theirs alone…and he wants…he wants… _oh god… _He keeps vacillating between not hindering Hikaru and trying to keep him to himself, but despite that, despite the confusingly opposite feelings, he can only land on one conclusion. They all point to only one thing… _Oh god…_

"Hikaru…what do _you_ want?" he asks because he can't think. Because he's confused. Because…

**Act III, Scene iii**

_I want… I want…_ Hikaru can feel his heart pounding so loudly, and in the silence of the room, the roar of his blood is deafening. Vaguely, he feels Kaoru's heartbeat matching his.

What does he want? Why is he thinking of things that he shouldn't be thinking about? What's going on between _Hikaru and Kaoru?_

_I want…your actions to mean something…_

**Act III, Scene iv**

"The Host Club…_Dono_ drives the carriage, and if the spell breaks, it turns back into a pumpkin. The spell…it will break…because we will eventually separate. What would that mean to us, Hikaru?"

Kaoru doesn't care if Hikaru doesn't understand his ramblings, but he has to get it off his chest. He's scared beyond comprehension that he's going to be left behind. Left behind by the person who's known him the longest…who's the only one he's got since…forever…

**Act IV, Scene i**

Even if he doesn't completely understand, he has a feeling he can, in some way, figure out what Kaoru's talking about. "Separate," after all, can only be interpreted in limited ways.

Hikaru doesn't have a solid answer for that one, though, and it stumps him. He knows he isn't the more perceptive of the two of them, that _he_ is hard facts and exactness and that _Kaoru _is literature and flight. It isn't always that this becomes obvious, but he's always known it.

Sometimes, he wishes he's more like Kaoru…and _shouldn't he be more like him?_

With nothing to answer Kaoru's question with, he buries his face in the crook of the younger twin's neck.

"I don't do metaphors, Kaoru." He hates the tenseness he can feel emanating from his twin's form because the feeling creeps into him and he automatically feels the same. Impulsively, he lays a kiss on Kaoru's erratic pulse…and somehow, the action is new…the feeling is…_something else…_

**Act IV, Scene ii**

Kaoru feels the slight pressure on his jugular, and for a second, he tenses even more, before being comforted by the act meant to soothe. As if suddenly tired, he feels the fight leave Hikaru's form once more, slumping harder against him, almost as if doing it on purpose to get as physically close as possible.

For a little second, Kaoru is even more comforted. _If he keeps running to me like this…everything's gonna be all right…but what if he…stops?_

Suddenly, the closeness is suffocating, and it's contradictory because he revels in it as much as he chokes on it.

He again attempts to push his brother off.

"Hikaru, you know what, forget it. Let's just go to sleep. Everything looks better in the morning anyway. And I'm…tired."

**Act IV, Scene iii**

Instead of trying to assert dominance over his twin, Hikaru jerks away, as if burnt, and Kaoru takes the opportunity to extract himself from him then wordlessly turns his back on him. For a moment, Hikaru doesn't move. Twice now Kaoru has dismissed him. _"_Na_, Hikaru… I'm fine… can't be just the two of us forever…" _Then now he's…tired? Everything will be...okay in the morning?

Desperation unlike he's ever felt before weaves an oppressive lacework in his chest. Kaoru…has never been this confusing before. Every time he thinks he's figured Kaoru out, Kaoru strays to another direction, and he's back to square one. What the hell's happening to them? They're _Hikaru and Kaoru_, for crying out loud!

In a frustrated motion, he grips Kaoru's shoulder and pulls hard. The younger twin seems momentarily stunned before struggling against Hikaru, the commotion sending them flying from the bed and onto the floor in a tangle of limbs and Egyptian cotton sheets.

**Act IV, Scene iv**

Kaoru almost curses as his back hits the unforgiving floor, Hikaru's weight stealing the air from his lungs. "Hika—" His eyes widen when Hikaru cuts him off with a forceful kiss.

**Act IV, Scene v**

Hikaru doesn't know what made him kiss his brother, but it seems like a good way to shut him up, and for some reason, kissing the other half of his soul doesn't feel…wrong. Even when he pulls away and realizes that he's officially crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed, he finds that he doesn't quite…care.

**Act V, Scene i**

"I don't…understand you…Kaoru…"

Kaoru hears the words that aren't being voiced: _It's…scaring the shit outta me…Kaoru…_

"What is it that you want?"

_Is it what I want, too?_

"Stop trying to complicate things!"

_Make me understand!_

Kaoru stares up at Hikaru's face…the raw emotion he sees…and the words spill from his mouth, angry, worried, confused, accusatory, pleading…almost nonsensical in their hurry to be expressed… "I'll tell you what, Hikaru! I _hate _it! Why did we have to open the lock? Why did I have to agree? Why did I set _you _up? Why do you have to like her? We're letting _them_ in…we're not supposed to…it's just you and me…just _us_! You're…you're too welcoming! I _don't_ know you! I don't know this _Hikaru_! You're someone else! You're not supposed to notice…notice that…that you want to…take another step forward… And I'm being selfish, but, _dammit_, I don't wanna be left behind! I _don't_ wanna take _that_ step forward! I'm comfortable _here_…I want it _here_… Let's…stay here…"

The ties…they're bringing out the worst in him. He's too attached to the past. He's too attached to _Hikaru and Kaoru_…to the idea that one _can't be_ as long as the other _won't be_.

"I don't wanna share anymore! We didn't use to share… _You're _my brother! You're _my _brother! _Mine and mine alone!_"

**Act V, Scene ii**

His eyes flash at the immediate epiphany that follows the onslaught of emotions. Kaoru believes that he's moving on without him, that _Hikaru is functioning without Kaoru_. That _Hikaru doesn't need Kaoru anymore._

He likes Haruhi…but he likes Kaoru _more_ because Haruhi is a _friend _while Kaoru is his _twin_, the other half of himself.

"_Baka no_ Kaoru! I can't believe it… You're such an _idiot_, do you know that? _Kami_, Kaoru, you don't get it, do you?"

Kaoru narrows his eyes at the space above Hikaru's shoulder, looking a tad slighted since _he_, the older twin, should be the one _not getting it_, not the other way around.

At Kaoru's silence, Hikaru acknowledges that, in his willingness to accept Haruhi, he has inadvertently sent the wrong message. "Kaoru…" He watches as his brother defiantly keeps looking at something else. "_Gomen ne_, Kaoru," he adds quietly, but in the stillness of the room, his words echo painfully.

**Act V, Scene iii**

"_Gomen ne_, Hikaru," Kaoru automatically replies, though he's sorry for something else. Something entirely different. Something that has come to him just a while ago. Something that he shouldn't be feeling towards his own brother.

**Act V, Scene iv**

"Why?" Then Hikaru catches on. "What do _you_ want, Kaoru?" _Admit it. I just might want it, too._

"This is wrong. Wrong, because _we're brothers_."

Hikaru touches his lips then traces his brother's. "Did it feel wrong? _Did _it? Even from the start, you haven't been just talking about _them_, have you? Or, maybe, you weren't aware of it, not until very, very recently? What if…what if I tell you…I want it, too?" _Because it makes us closer. Because it's the only possible thing that can happen between us. Because we won't be separated. Because I recognize the ties and I don't want them severed. Because you're wrong, and I won't walk without you. Because it's _us_ and it's…it's…right._

**Act V, Scene v**

That's when Kaoru hears the real meaning behind Hikaru's words… _Cross the line with me… _Then the unwarranted barriers dissolve like ice on a heated pavement, and Hikaru leans forward, a little tentatively, until Kaoru meets his eyes. _I've already crossed it._

The ties…maybe they aren't that bad. The _World of Us_ has always been different, and even when others might argue that venturing out is what's best, Kaoru doesn't think it'll work for them. He needs Hikaru, and, as Hikaru closes the gap between them, almost experimentally still, he's convinced that the older twin needs him, too.

**Act V, Scene vi**

Just before sealing their lips, Hikaru pauses and whispers, "We're keeping _them_," — he doesn't name names because everyone who isn't _you_ and _me_, who isn't Hikaru and Kaoru, is _them_ — "but we're changing the lock, and this time, it's not gonna rust." Then he dives and takes the plunge.

**Act V, Scene vii**

Kaoru doesn't complain anymore that they will be keeping _them_ because even if they've opened the big gates to the _World of Us_, the _world of them_ will now be kept away by a locked fence…and that's better than nothing. Hikaru has understood what he wants, and it's only fair to understand what the more aggressive twin wants.

Dawn has come, and he's right…everything is better in the morning…_Hikaru is Kaoru _remains, and now…they might be more.

When Hikaru asks offhand what the pumpkin thing is all about, he just smiles and lightly tells him it's Cinderella's Parody. Hikaru doesn't ask for further explanations though — because _Hikaru doesn't do metaphors_ — and it's quite a shame because…Kaoru has just added a new twist to the parody…

Without fail, at twelve midnight, the carriage turns back into a pumpkin.

At twelve midnight, Kaoru is lost.

At twelve midnight, Hikaru sets out to find him.

At a little past twelve, he is found.

_-fin-_

Clarification/s:

"…_Dono_ telling Kyouya-sempai that he mistook the queen for Polonius…" – This is to address a mistake I made in the last entry. It wasn't until sciathan file mentioned Polonius did I remember that, yeah, it isn't Queen Gertrude in _Hamlet_ who says "brevity is the soul of wit." It's Polonius, which is ironic… (Sorry, I'm forgetting my Shakespeare, and thanks, sciathan file!)

So now, it's either Kyouya did make a mistake or he did it on purpose. Who knows? It's Kyouya we're talking about…

A/N:

SlvrSoleAlchmst1, uhm… I don't think I got my first attempt at yaoi right. Haha! Oh well… And peeps, I accept all kinds of criticisms so do drop a review and tell me what you think.


	4. Theme 4: Pictures

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (4 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns**_**). Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 4: Pictures

_Request-ee_: volian

Rating: T

Genre: Humour

Entry summary: But also…when were pictures of us taken?

Entry title:

_**Lost In Translation**_

On Wednesday, Hikaru and Kaoru asked when pictures of them were taken. Kyoya probably heard them but chose to ignore the question in favour of selling the glossy magazines that bound pictures upon excellent pictures of the Host Club members.

Hikaru and Kaoru didn't think they'd get any answer anyway.

* * *

On Thursday, Hikaru and Kaoru played a commoner game called tag with the rest of the Host Club. The more aggressive twin was it and was currently chasing his other half. Kaoru, busy with playfully taunting Hikaru, didn't notice a lose rock on the path he was pursuing. He tripped at the same time Hikaru launched himself towards him, sending both teenagers rolling on the grassy ground, ruffled though unharmed. Kaoru was pinned beneath a grinning Hikaru as the latter declared the former it. 

Hikaru and Kaoru were unaware of a little black device being stowed away as they got up and dusted themselves.

* * *

On Friday, Hikaru and Kaoru sat on the sill of one of the windows in the Third Music Room, waiting for club time to begin. Hikaru, who didn't normally indulge in sweets — except maple syrup — was finishing a plate of cake handed to him by an enthusiastic Honey-sempai. Kaoru, _who didn't normally indulge in sweets — except maple syrup —_ was about to pop into his mouth the strawberry he had swiped off the slice of cake. Hikaru, noticing this, quickly grabbed the younger twin's wrist before taking a bite off the plump strawberry. The younger mock glared and the elder laughed. 

Hikaru and Kaoru failed to notice the flash that was slightly dimmed by the bright lights of the room.

* * *

On Saturday, Hikaru and Kaoru slept in, comfortable in their huge bed and rumpled sheets…and boxers with penguin prints. The elder was lying on his stomach while the younger was half-flung across the elder's back, both sets of legs tangled and both sleepers completely dead to the world. Then their sound slumber was disturbed by the unceremonious entrance of the Host Club entourage. 

Hikaru and Kaoru woke up with a start, but not before a few not-so discreet clicks went ignored as the rowdy hosts proceeded to wake the rest of the house with the level of noise they were making.

* * *

On Sunday, Hikaru and Kaoru had the whole day to themselves, and they decided to spend it monopolizing the large Hitachiin swimming pool — not that there would be anyone else competing for space. Holding hands like how they had always done in the past, they ran towards the inviting water with nothing else but wide grins and Speedo board shorts…because they weren't really fond of just _Speedos_…especially since they were firm believers that many would be hospitalized from excessive epistaxis — "nosebleed" in commoner's tongue — from the image alone…not to mention that they might get arrested for "indecent exposure." Unsurprisingly enough, a banana peel appeared out of nowhere, causing Hikaru to slip, and since he was holding onto Kaoru's hand, both twins were sent airborne, with the elder appearing as though he was pulling the younger towards him. 

Hikaru and Kaoru broke the surface of the water without knowledge of the retractable lens disappearing from behind a convenient bush.

* * *

On Monday, Hikaru and Kaoru were running late for class, and they scrambled along endless corridors in a flurry of orange hair strands sticking out every which way and carefully pressed Ouran uniforms…and the occasional snicker as they planned on how to make an entrance worthy of their mischievous reputations. When they reached the double doors to their classroom, the one who parted his hair to the left reached out to straighten the tie of the one who parted his hair to the right, while the latter flicked an errant lock of hair away from the eyes of the former. 

Hikaru and Kaoru banged open the smooth wood, unaware of a roll of film being tossed in the air and getting caught by a slim-fingered hand.

* * *

On Tuesday, Hikaru and Kaoru heard a group of giggling girls talking about how "slice one" was better than "slice fifteen," and how half of them were more visually impaired than bats since "seriously, slice fifty-five and slice one hundred thirty-seven" were the best. Hikaru and Kaoru had no idea what they were talking about, so they turned around and walked away, the elder's arm slung across the younger's shoulders. But before they could widen the distance between them and the gushing groupies, they heard the girls saying that the real thing was still more beautiful than "all the slices put together." 

Hikaru and Kaoru didn't have any better clue as to what they were talking about than they had when they first stumbled upon the group.

* * *

On Wednesday, a week after they had wondered when pictures of them were being taken, Hikaru and Kaoru were almost deafened upon exiting the dressing room wearing identical leather pants and sleeveless vests — interestingly enough, they were dressed in rocker outfits that were surely inspired from a commoner's music video…no doubt a product of their King's curiosity. A large number of girls were flocking around a small circular table, choruses of "Oh _my_ god! The newest issue!" randomly being shouted…because majority of the time, the girls were just squealing and trying not to faint. 

Their own curiosity piqued, they sidled towards the table and tiptoed to get a look at what the girls were crying their throats hoarse for. There in front of them were new sets of magazines sporting the pictures of the Host Club members. Hikaru, miraculously enough, was able to pluck one of the copies displaying "Hitachiin" in big, bold letters from the table. Slinking into a quiet corner, the twins flipped page upon page of images, their jaws threatening to hit the floor with each passing picture. Turning a suspicious eye towards the Shadow King, they saw him looking at their direction while he adjusted his glasses, and the glare of the sun made him look more sinister.

"Kyoya-sempai…" the twins let out in a stream of quiet air tinged with a dash of fear and a pinch of _I knew it!_

As they turned the last page — dully taking note that each picture was labeled "slice #" — they got the answer to their question. Each photograph was of, they vaguely remembered, innocent activities over the week, caught at the right time and at the right angle to appear more suggestive than they really were. They sighed.

Hikaru and Kaoru, then and there, resolutely concluded that adages meant zip when it came to the Shadow King. Whoever said that a picture paints a thousand words surely hadn't considered the likes of Ootori Kyoya.

_-fin-_


	5. Theme 5: Father

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (5 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns**_**). Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 5: Father

_Request-ee_: sciathan file

Rating: T

Genre: General/Introspective

Entry summary: Suoh Yuzuru thinks of all the mistakes he has accumulated and thinks that Tamaki won't be one of them.

Entry title:

_**Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow**_

Clubs in Ouran were there for different purposes — for the amelioration of a skill, for the proliferation of a talent, for the establishment of a culture, for the institution of family pride. Different reasons that deserved the justification a mandate permitting the foundation of a club would bring, and none too mundane for the rich who had the time. The audience requested for the foundation of the Host Club, however, did not follow the normal goings-on of the usual application and petition. First, because it capitalized not on a skill or talent that was typical of the classy and the upscale, and second, because, for all intents and purposes, it just seemed a more sophisticated and dignified excuse for a bordello — tamed, affluent, fashionable, but a brothel all the same.

He had balked (not very, very much so, though) at the idea, although the presentation of the recourse was done excellently, outlining the advantages of such an endeavor and limiting actions and deals that could be performed and accepted in the club. It was the third son of the Ootori family who had presented the supplication, and he hadn't expected anything less from him. Nonetheless, he knew who had brought about the idea, who had instigated a revolution to disturb the norm.

Suoh Tamaki was the only one idealistic enough to think that something as absurd as this was for the better of anyone he would crash into along the way. And if he hadn't known Tamaki's trivial friendship with Ootori Kyoya, he would still think it was his son behind the ridiculous idea. Call it father's intuition, if there were such a thing.

He didn't know why he had agreed, why he had signed the documents authorizing the formation of the Host Club, and he thought that maybe it had been guilt that made him do it (or the fact that he had kind of thought of the same thing back when he was in high school). In retrospect, it could have been, indeed, the decision of a guilt-ridden conscience. He hadn't once tried to stop Tamaki from doing what he wanted, not when the boy had been separated from his beloved mother, and not when the boy couldn't step foot on the grounds of the main mansion because, according to the Suoh matriarch, Tamaki was his bastard son with his harlot wife (something in him squeezed and hurt whenever he saw that smile Tamaki used on his grandmother, that smile that fought quivering whenever his grandmother would address him with the most offensive of insults, throwing into the conversation defamations directed at his sick mother).

Of all the mistakes he had committed in his life, going against his mother must have been the worst he ever managed (if mistakes were ever really managed). He didn't think that loving Tamaki's mother was a mistake, but maybe it hadn't been the best in the long run.

Contradictory in itself, but real nonetheless.

For a long while, he believed it was guilt that made him allow any of Tamaki's crazy ideas, and he did have many, staggeringly so if he were to consider every little detail Ootori-kun reported to him. What else could make him be so lenient (except for his inexhaustible amount of money) anyway? Better fathers would know better than to provide material comfort in the absence of paternal guidance, but after everything he had put his family through, he didn't think he was one of those better fathers.

The only thing he took comfort from was that Tamaki didn't seem to be growing very badly. In fact, Ootori-kun had told him that Tamaki was well-loved by everyone because he "doesn't have an arrogant bone in his body and, although very childishly so, is inclined to help anyone who needs help." He'd come to rely on the third Ootori son for information on his _own_ son, kind of embarrassing to admit, but that was all he was reduced to after neglecting a few (a lot) of his parental duties.

The Host Club he had agreed to be formed was where the young Suoh thrived, gained friends, and made an "impressionable impact on anyone who met him," and this knowledge affirmed him that he hadn't just made another mistake concerning his son.

When the Ouran festival came, he had a feeling that something big would happen, life changing, he thought. Maybe because the clubs would be open to not just the students. Maybe because he decided to see for himself what the Host Club was all about. Maybe because his mother would be visiting.

His third assumption was proven right when his mother arrived, promptly calling Tamaki a "filthy child" then basically ordering him to escort a certain Éclair Tonnerre for the duration of her stay, and he just knew his son was being sucked into an arranged marriage just by that almost imperceptible glint in his mother's eyes (having been at the receiving end of her matchmaking, he was made accustomed to the subtle signs).

As the Fates would have it, his foreboding feelings were founded. When they gave voice to that aphorism "like father, like son," he didn't think it would, too, apply to their fortunes (or misfortune, whatever would fit their bill). Just as the senior was forced to marry, the junior was about to suffer the same fate (though with different reasons — Tamaki was promised the chance to be with his mother while he just didn't have the heart to disobey his _own _mother). It was his mistakes that Tamaki ran afoul of without knowing, and what did he do?

Wished for the best, that's what (even when he knew that his ailing wife would not approve of their son's leave of his friends).

It was a stroke of good genius that Tamaki acquired the kind of friends that he had — the kind he himself had the mischance of not having when he was in Tamaki's situation. And before he knew it, his son was enjoying the night of the Ouran festival in the company of his friends, not in the company of a complete stranger whom, despite the circumstances, he was sure received only the best from his son.

Later on, when all the adrenaline had died down, when he was left alone in his office, Ootori-kun showed up, bearing every detail of what happened. And when he had thanked the youngest Ootori, and when the latter had said his goodnights, he realized the real reason that he approved of the founding of the Host Club, the real reason that lurked just a little beyond his broken and uncertain excuses.

When Ootori Kyoya had been presenting the plans for the Host Club, the logistics, the initial members, the answer he had given as to how Tamaki had gathered different personalities, something nagged at him. And now he knew what that had been. Now he understood what had eluded him for so long. The way Ootori-kun had talked, he had seen something in Tamaki that even he, the father, hadn't seen.

Tamaki needed to cope.

Despite his seemingly endless amount of happiness and contentment, Tamaki had been searching for something that was missing.

Kyoya had, although in passing, mentioned something about a family structure. Family. That was what begged for his permission. After everything, his natural role as Tamaki's father still provided his son a necessity that he lacked at home.

When he handed that mandate authorizing the formation of the Host Club, he hadn't just done it out of guilt — he had done it out of a basic need to provide for his son.

Finally, he allowed a smile to steal over his features (the epiphany he reached had been apropos…and every bit delightful).

Shuffling the files Ootori-kun had left on his table and fondly looking at the bright smiles captured just right, Suoh Yuzuru was assured that of all the mistakes he had accumulated, Tamaki wasn't (and would never be) one of them.

_-fin-_

A/N:

Uhm…yep, criticisms sound good. I kind of just followed the way the pen writes (I haven't read the manga, so sorry if Yuzuru's character is way off).


	6. Theme 6: Cloth

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (6 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns**_**). Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 6: Cloth

_Request-ee_: Anthrax Pretzels

Rating: T

Genre: Humour/Romance

Entry summary: When Honey, Renge, Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru are left to themselves…

Warning: Extreme Crack. Randomicity.

Entry title:

_**A Forgone Conclusion**_

Hikaru plots and Kaoru follows because that's always how things have been. So when their club time turns out to be boring, as three key players are notably absent for reasons he has yet to know, Hikaru plots. When Honey cries because Mori-sempai is, surprisingly enough, nowhere in sight, Hikaru remains plotting. When Haruhi, as apathetic as ever, emotionlessly wonders where the others are, Hikaru keeps to himself still and plots. When Renge's high-powered motor revs up and disrupts the _relative _quiet, Hikaru's still plotting. But when Kaoru looks at him and arches an eyebrow, Hikaru notices that this time, Kaoru's plotting alongside him…although…seemingly plotting something different altogether.

Hikaru slightly furrows his brow. _You've got one?_

Kaoru imperceptibly tilts his head to the side. _Uh-huh, and we're trying it._

Hikaru smirks. _Oh, _now_ you're deciding?_

Kaoru grins widely. _You bet._

"I'm booored…" Kaoru drawls, starting, subtly winking at Hikaru.

Hikaru sits up and follows through, instinctively knowing what to do though still watching out for signs on how to finish. "Let's play a game!"

Honey sniffles but turns his attention to them. Haruhi merely says "no." Renge, who has disappeared after seeing no Kyoya around, re-appears, hearts in her eyes and flowers around her head as she babbles, "Oh! What amazing efforts to lift everyone's spirits! Yes, yes! As the manageress, let me join your game!"

Haruhi momentarily ignores the ensuing chaos as she again asks where Kyoya-sempai, Mori-sempai, and Tamaki-sempai are, to which no one knows the answer (and the twins are eagerly dismissing the topic since _we're here and they're not so let's play!_)

"I don't think Kyoya-sempai will be happy if we don't open the Host Club today despite their absences," Haruhi matter-of-factly says.

Visible shudders run down everyone's spines at the image of the Shadow King's glare that just might do them in (and because of the thought that that's _definitely_ not the way to go). Honey then clings to Haruhi with exclamations of how scared he is.

"Eh, let's not think of him and let's play _now_!" the twins impatiently interject after getting over their shivers.

"No."

Both Hitachiins tower over Haruhi as she remains sitting on the couch with Honey still fearfully clinging to her and Usa-chan clutched tightly to his chest. "Haruhiii, you can't say no! This is World War II and we are Hitler, thereby making this a dictatorship, not a democracy!"

Haruhi wonders for a brief second whether they are making sense, before deciding that the Host Club in its entirety is foolishness personified, so, by law of transitivity, the twins are making as much sense as an ant climbing up an elephant's leg with the intent of rape.

"It's a fun game, Haruhi!" they add.

Honey, who is peering at the twins with growing amusement, sniffles while trying to make Haruhi join the game and asking if he _can join, too, please pretty please, Hika-chan, Kao-chan?_

"We're playing the 'Which One is Hikaru-kun' game!" they chorus again. "With a _twist_!" they add.

"We're all guessing? All at the same time?" Renge asks, though no one's really paying attention to her (because, really, she's just the extra who's getting _extra_).

"Here are the rules!" Kaoru begins. "_Otaku_! Stay over there and just…do…uh…what you do best! Obsess!"

Renge doesn't fully understand the relevance of what she is to do, but follows anyway because she has a feeling that she's in for something that will tickle her _oh so imaginative and faithful heart!_

"Honey-sempai!" Hikaru calls, making the cute senior stand in attention ("Hail Hitler-chan!"). You…eat cake!"

Honey has rain clouds over his head by the time he has made his way to a table with a plate of cake waiting for him, muttering something about the last time Tama-chan made him do the same thing.

"Haruhi!" the twins turn towards her.

"I'm not playing. I already know which is which."

"No, you don't! Not this time!" Kaoru confidently exclaims, grinning from ear to ear.

"There's always that small exception, you know," Hikaru adds, though he himself is still wondering where the game is going.

Haruhi exasperatedly sighs. Hikaru plus Kaoru _always _equals more trouble than they are worth.

"Ooh…is that the sound of defeat we hear?" Hikaru and Kaoru chime in perfectly. Then they whip out a long strip of black silk. "Time to play!"

Kaoru brushes away Haruhi's errant bangs, and Hikaru ties the smooth cloth around her head to cover her eyes.

"Guess which one is Hikaru!" they chorus (yet again) so loudly beside Haruhi's ears that a visible shiver wracks Haruhi's body (and she thinks she might pop an eardrum…or two).

"Blindfolded?"

"Yes!"

"No."

"You can't say no!" this time, there are two additional voices shouting the same thing. "This is Japan and we are the emperors (empress) and we order you to guess!"

Haruhi really has no idea where they get such faulty analogies, but then they _are_ rich bastards, and for her, that efficiently explains it all.

"No. I can't see, so there's no point."

"Guess which one is Hikaru!" since Haruhi will always be Haruhi and waiting for her to agree will take forever, they choose to ignore her. As always.

When both twins start leaning closer to Haruhi, Renge's beside herself, failing to muffle her screams of excitement at the incoming _MOE!!!! _And weirdly enough, she has somehow taken a spot behind Honey, whose table is closer to the "game," and is now almost choking the poor host as she tries (not) to contain herself.

Hikaru frowns almost imperceptibly, but since Kaoru's just smiling at him, he follows Kaoru's lead (because it's not true that he's always the one leading…_ha! If only the girls knew…_).

"Guess which one—" Hikaru whispers in her right ear, close enough to touch the skin.

"—is Hikaru," Kaoru finishes, blowing softly in Haruhi's left ear.

The strands of hair on Haruhi's nape stand on end, though she wonders whether it's because of the twins or Renge's high-pitched, inhuman, beyond-the-grave squeal.

"Hikaru's on my right; Kaoru's on my left," she deadpans, quick to dismiss her earlier reaction.

This time, Hikaru frowns very obviously. Their voices have been carefully modulated to avoid detection, and still Haruhi guesses correctly. He turns to his twin, but Kaoru remains grinning. "Uncanny," he hears Kaoru whisper.

"Lucky guess, Haruhi," Hikaru hurriedly adds.

"No, it's not."

"Hn. Let's play again," Kaoru says, brushing the silk covering Haruhi's eyes gently. He takes a step back, pulling Hikaru with him, and with a subtle signal to his brother only they know about, they chorus their infamous line.

"Guess which one is Hikaru-kun!"

Kaoru leans forward, brushing his lips across Haruhi's chin, making Renge squeal like a piglet sent to the abattoir. Honey, by now, is almost turning blue from lack of air, and his soul is threatening to leave his body completely.

Hikaru doesn't know why he suddenly feels _just _a slight pinch of annoyance (jealousy) towards his other half, but when the younger twin slides back to his original position beside him, Kaoru just smirks and gestures for him to take his turn.

A quick blush steals over Hikaru's face, much like how _Dono_ blushed the first time he learnt that Haruhi's a girl, but he leans towards Haruhi when he sees the challenging tilt of Kaoru's eyebrow. He swears that sometimes, Kaoru's more mischievous than people give him credit for. And Haruhi thinks he's the meaner twin! _If only she knew…_

"Are we done y—" Haruhi is cut off when—

"Renge-chan, I can-can't brea-breathe…"

As if on cue, the double doors bang open, letting in a determined Mori-sempai who is quick to dislodge Mitskuni from Renge's chokehold. And not long after, _Dono _and Shadow King appear by the doorway. And after two seconds and a half, Tamaki-sempai is shooing away the twins and trying to undo the knot on Haruhi's blindfold, all the while managing to twirl and bawl at the same time.

"Circus freak," Kaoru murmurs to his twin, laughing in his hand, and he's suddenly confused when he's met with silence. But then he laughs harder when he spies the still beet-red face of his twin, who is trying his darnedest to hide behind his own hands. And when he discreetly looks at Haruhi and spies the telltale redness on her cheeks that he's sure isn't from _Dono's_ abusive twirling, he becomes _just_ slightly bit more amused.

"Kao-kaoru…" Hikaru can't seem to find his voice for his oh-so intelligent brother has just pulled a stunt he never thought Kaoru's capable of. He should have known better — Kaoru's really more mischievous than him…it's just that he doesn't show it much…now does he? _Is_ he even allowed to one-up his own twin?

"Enjoyed our game, Hikaru?" Kaoru whispers, smirking evilly.

Hikaru can only blush harder.

_Before the chaos erupted at the entrance of the rest of the Host Club, Hikaru was leaning down to copy what his brother did, only to be surprised when he felt the slight push from behind, and before he knew it, he was giving Haruhi a smack on the kisser._

Despite his dominant role in the brotherly love act and always almost kissing Kaoru, having to actually kiss someone on the mouth is something he hasn't done…at least, not until he kissed Haruhi.

"_Ne_, Haruhi, which one was Hikaru?" Kaoru asks, trying futilely to keep the smirk off his face. In retrospect, it was a really wise move to bring that strip of silk along.

Haruhi's wide eyes swivel from Kaoru to Hikaru (quite lingering on the older twin), the uncharacteristic blush never fading away.

He has pulled off a successful Great First Date Strategy before, Kaoru thinks, and he's pulled off this game quite nicely, too, and judging by the reactions of both innocent participants, he thinks it won't be too long before he finds the right trick to finally get them together.

In the background, Renge is busy scolding Tamaki-sempai for ruining the game and causing too much racket that she wasn't able to see the end of it, all the while clearly staying away from the whimpering Honey. Shadow King is just standing there, writing excessively in his ledger, which the twins think contains nothing really but doodles and the occasional "I _heart_ bossing everyone around!"

"Hey, Haruhi!" Kaoru calls loudly, making everyone turn towards him. "Let's play again next time, yeah?" He doesn't expect the widening eyes of both first years, and this causes him to grin wider.

When Kaoru agreed to take over the Hitachiin fashion empire, he knew that there was something more to it than cloth and being partners with Hikaru. Since the Host Club started, they have always been surrounded by swathes of rich fabric, silky and smooth, velvety and soft, all to accomplish their club's goal, but just now, the best use of cloth has been shown to him. And all thanks to his own genius.

Who knew a strip of silk can bring about very interesting events?

_-fin-_

A/N:

Sorry, but given the characters requested (Honey, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, and Renge) this is the best I can come up with. And on this note, please see the rules about requesting supporting/minor characters. I've forgotten my own rule when I said yes to Anthrax Pretzels' request, and I've bitten off more than I can chew. Sorry about that. If ever I come up with a better idea, I'd replace this. That is _if_ I can think of another.

Anyway, I'll try to post the next theme ("Age," as requested by Phiso) as soon as possible!

Oh! And thanks to those who read _Tonight, They Sin_!


	7. Theme 7: Age

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (7 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns**_**). Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 7: Age

_Request-ee_: Phiso

Rating: T

Genre: Introspective/Friendship/General

Entry summary: When Neverland closes its doors, the Host Club opens a window.

Entry title:

_**For Many Moons Red Man Fight Paleface Lost Boys**_

**Infancy**

As was normal, Mitsukuni couldn't remember anything from the days he was but a child learning how to walk, talk, and to generally be a cute nuisance to his parents — like any other kid. Most of his "early memories" were from the stories of his father, mother, nannies, other relatives — heck, even from one of the family drivers — and the pictures that graced thousands of albums kept in the family room. Of course, even then, Takashi was already there, a quiet, almost-expressionless baby, but cute nonetheless.

**Toddler**

Mistukuni had learned of egocentric thinking when they studied psychology in school, but then he doubted it very much applied to him back when he was a toddler. Takashi had always been there to play with him, to fight with him over toys, to try new things with him, to attempt to steal cookies from the kitchen with him, so if egocentric thinking ever applied to them, it had been slanted, different somehow.

**Early Childhood**

Mitsukuni's first day of school wasn't all that memorable, probably because he hadn't made much of a fuss like the other kids at being left alone by their nannies; after all, he had Takashi by his side, a quiet boy who never failed to match his alacrity with his own silent acquiescence in whatever Mitsukuni wanted to do.

**Childhood**

Mitsukuni could remember the first martial arts lessons from his father. It wasn't very hard, and his father was very considerate; after all, he was just a child then. The house was all praises and good words about his early development, and he grew up to be competent, not once deprived of what he wanted. And Takashi was still there, too, although he was more into swinging wooden swords and concentrating, and having to willingly break his concentration when Mitsukuni would smile at him and ask him to play.

**Adolescence**

Of all the trying things Mitsukuni ever had to face, this was probably the hardest. He had to deny himself of everything he had come to love: cute things and sweet treats. His father told him that he had to live up to what was expected of his clan, more so because of his small stature. He tried to be committed to his promise, carrying his bag in that manly way, eating red meat, and being strict to the members of the karate club.

Once, twice, he found himself asking who he really was, what he was meant to be, and if he were making the right choices. And all through these, Takashi stayed by his side, like always, quiet as ever but reassuring all the same.

Then a blonde lower-classman with such a friendly smile came and waved a pink bunny puppet in front of him, giving him images of candies, and cakes, and stuffed toys, and sparkles, and laughter. But the most important thing the bold middle-schooler gave him was a new perspective. What was his name again? Suoh-kun. Yes, Suoh-kun gave courage a new definition — a definition that wasn't so restricting, a definition that didn't alienate him from the things he loved, from the things he wanted, a definition that let him be himself.

Mitsukuni would never forget the day he stood by the large window on the floor where his classroom was, with Takashi beside him, looking down and smiling, hugging his ­_Usa-chan_ and asking his cousin whether he accepted Suoh-kun's offer, too. He would never forget it because it was around that time that he learned to be himself.

**Early Adulthood**

Mitsukuni came to love the Host Club as if it were a second family, and, all things considered, it might as well be. Of course, that was aside the funny incident when Suoh-kun — _no, no, it's Tama-chan now, has been Tama-chan for a long time already_ — said Takashi and he were just neighbors. Really, _Tama-chan is so funny!_

The Host Club, although seemingly a club established just for fun, helped him in a lot of things. It helped him develop trust and a sense of identity. It helped him fight off isolation and alienation. It helped him realize the importance of commitment to the people he loved, and it taught him that it was okay to depend on others, that he wasn't anything less if he relied on others.

Mitsukuni could clearly recall this single incident where Takashi asked him why he enjoyed being in the Host Club, and he had known right away that his cousin was asking for a substantive answer that didn't have anything to do with cakes and other sweets. He had smiled then, realizing that even Takashi was wondering why he himself joined, looking for another reason aside from needing to solidify his loyalty to Mitsukuni.

"Ne_, Takashi, do you remember how my grandmother used to tell us stories of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys?"_

"_Aa."_

"_They live in this place where they can be kids forever, where they can be themselves and no one would criticize them for acting childishly and always having fun. Neverland. I've always thought I'd be going there one day with Takashi so we can always play. It's 'the second star to the right and straight on 'til morning' _ne_, Takashi?"_

_Takashi nodded, patting Mitsukuni's hair affectionately._

"_I think I've found him, Takashi. I think I've found Peter Pan. I think we've reached it. We're here. We're in Neverland, and Peter Pan has blonde hair."_

It had been easy coming to that conclusion. The members of the Host Club were always playing, always having fun, always doing what they wanted to do, always coming back to the place that the upper-class society could not tarnish. But now, Mitsukuni knew better. He was older, wiser, even when people thought he was still the cute and childish Haninozuka heir. The Host Club was like Neverland, except…not.

"Mitsukuni?" Takashi quietly called after taking a sip of his tea, taking Mitsukuni's attention from the rowdy bunch that was the other hosts, who, as per usual, were up to their crazy antics.

Mitsukuni grinned widely as he turned towards his cousin, instinctively knowing what Takashi wanted to ask. "I've changed my mind, Takashi. The Host Club, it's better than Neverland!"

Takashi nodded in understanding, and that was all it took to end the conversation. Mitsukuni bounded over the motley crew and joined in their daily randomicity.

The Host Club, this pretentious gathering of seven people, was the same as the fictitious world of Peter Pan, but at the same time, it was...different…

"Tama-chan! Let's play a new game!"

Tamaki smiled brightly. "Of course, Honey-sempai!"

…because it kept them even when they had grown-up.

_-fin-_

Citation/s:

"For many moons red man fight paleface Lost Boys." – Indian Chief, _Peter Pan _

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning." – Peter Pan, _Peter Pan_

Blanket disclaimer for non-OHSHC related material/s:

_Peter Pan _is a Walt Disney production, and I do not, in any way or form, claim ownership of this animated feature film.

A/N:

Peter Pan and the Lost Boys…ooh, they could do that in the Host Club! Tamaki would be Peter Pan, Kyoya would be Slightly, Mori would be Curly, Honey would be Tootles, The twins would be the twins — Marmaduke and Binky, and Haruhi would be Nibs.

Finally, my schedule allowed me to update! I'm so glad, I could cry!


	8. Theme 8: Loneliness

Title: Fiddling While Rome Burns (8 of 20)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: _Fiddling While Rome Burns_ is based on characters and situations that belong to Bisco Hatori (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited, and beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's.

Every entry is not necessarily connected to each other. There is no order in which each is written, and each entry is based on the theme displayed before the start of each story.

Author's note: **I accept REQUESTS for this collection (**_**Fiddling While Rome Burns**_**). Just jump over to my profile and see how to request a theme.**

Theme # 8: Loneliness

_Request-ee_: Romulan Empress

Rating: T

Genre: Introspective/Friendship/General

Entry summary: Kyoya sees it so clearly because it's the same reflection he sees when he looks at the mirror.

Entry title:

_**Dunkirk Spirit**_

Sometimes, time seems to still for him, and that's when he glimpses the little details about the Host Club that nobody else sees. The second it takes for him to adjust his glasses is enough to notice that the twins are up to something mischievous. The second it takes to punctuate a sentence is enough for him to notice that Haruhi is not really paying attention to the gushes of her clients. The second it takes to loosen his tie is enough for him to understand that Mori-sempai and Honey-sempai are about to bid the rest of the club goodbye. But the second it takes for him to blink is more than enough to notice the slight change in Tamaki's rhythm whenever the topic about mothers comes up. It's not very noticeable, and the Frenchman is adept at hiding his real feelings, but Kyoya sees it nonetheless.

He used to wonder why he found the slight changes easy to interpret, why the tiny things that shouldn't count actually counted for something so much more, why the tiny smiles meant more than the others could ever interpret them as. But now...now he knows why.

"'_Ka-saaan_...aren't we going home yet?" Tamaki whines, shifting in his position on the couch as Kyoya continues on working at the club's accounts at the other end of the same seat. "Everyone has left already...why are we still here?"

Kyoya spares him a short glance that sees and understands everything then he flickers his gaze back at the laptop propped on his lap. "Nobody told you to stay back with me. Go on home, Tamaki. I'll see you tomorrow."

Not unexpectedly, Tamaki latches onto his arm like a stubborn leech. "Mom! You're so mean! Let's go home together!"

For a moment, it's Kyoya who stills as time itself crawls, and when he looks to his side and sees his best friend pouting and looking like the usual Tamaki, something flashes at him and he isn't surprised anymore that he understands. Tamaki always waits for him, always stays back and pesters him to stop working, always asks him to go home together, always, _always_ remains by his side like a lost child clinging onto the sleeve of a sympathetic stranger, and Kyoya now perfectly realizes why he sees and understands all this when he bets Tamaki himself doesn't.

In a quick but unfamiliar motion, Kyoya leans forward and kisses Tamaki on the crown of his head, an act he hasn't done before and wouldn't do again in the future. "I'll always be here, don't worry," he impulsively replies to a question that hasn't been asked. Then he shuts his laptop and stands up to smoothen out his clothes, easily reverting back to his _usual_ self. "Come, let's go home," he offers his hand like nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Tamaki is dumbfounded for a heartbeat, his fingers touching where Kyoya kissed him, and then he laughs and jumps up. He pulls Kyoya out the room.

It's not because he's best friends with Tamaki that he understands, nor is it because he's been around the blonde idiot for the longest time. It's not because he's gone crazy and sees things in Tamaki's point of view either, nor is it because he's smart and knows everything. It's not even because he knows of Tamaki's family situation, nor is it because he pities the fool.

"Hey, can you drop me off my house, please?" Tamaki happily asks Kyoya's chauffeur as he enters the car, making Kyoya sigh and shake his head.

While Tamaki's mother is far away and cannot meet his son, Kyoya's father is so near but is just as unreachable. Both of their situations aren't as different as some might think, and that's why they click, that's why he understands Tamaki, that's why they're friends, that's why he wouldn't ever leave Tamaki's side...because they can keep each other company...they can keep each other's loneliness at bay.

It's because a lonely heart recognizes and accepts another lonely heart and tries to be a pillar of support for the other.

Before Tamaki steps off the car in front of his estate, he pulls Kyoya to him and hugs him tightly.

"Tamaki...?"

"I'll always be here, too...don't worry."

Tamaki smiles that care-free smile and doesn't bid him goodbye; instead, he tells Kyoya _I'll see you, tomorrow!_ because when it comes to Kyoya, Tamaki never says farewell. And Kyoya is pleased…but he'd never tell.

_-fin-_

_­_Clarification/s:

Dunkirk spirit – it's when people pull together to surpass a difficult situation

A/N:

To those who remember where I've used the term "lonely heart" before…well…props to you! Lol. And thanks to those who read and reviewed (or just read, lol) _The Moving Finger Writes_!


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